Пустињаци и волшебници у историјским драмама С. Стефановића, Л. Лазаревића, Ј. Стерије Поповића и А. Николића
Hermits and Sorcerers in Historical Dramas of S. Stefanović, L. Lazarević, J. Sterija Popović and A. Nikolić

Summary/Abstract: The focus of this work is the figures of sorcerers and hermits of Serbian Pre-Romantic historical dramas and tragedies, specifically written by the four playwrights: Stefan Stefanović, Lazar Lazarević, Jovan Sterija Popović, and Atanasije Nikolić. We analyze the these figures as integral components of the dramatic structure, examining the motif of hermitism and its role as a framework for comparisons and imagery within the texts. The study is chronologically situated within the “golden period” (1827–1847), leading up to the victory of Vuk Karadžić’s linguistic reforms and the official acceptance of the vernacular as the Serbian literary language. We found that the plays were mostly staged first, and later they were printed, when there was a greater interest in this genre, which became an important part of our dramatic literature. These works, particularly those by Sterija and Nikolić, were instrumental in the institutionalization of the Serbian theatre and the formation of a national repertoire. Furthermore, we examine the habitats, stage presence and interpersonal dynamics of these hermits and sorcerers to develop a typology of their functions. This contributes to a deeper understanding of the archetypal and fantastic elements within Pre-Romantic dramatic poetics. By bridging urbanized and natural spaces, these characters reflect an escapist atmosphere in which they exist as marginalized types. Their presence, shaped by their distinct pasts, alters the trajectory of the tragic heroes, manifesting the supernatural gifts of the sorcerer and underscoring the spiritual significance of hermitage and contemplation.

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